XXVI. MINUTES OF A QUARTERLY COURT IN 1564. (fn. 1)
"December 11th, 1564.
"Quarter Day.
"Item. At this daye after Prayer made according to the
laudable custome of this house the Lyvery were called by name,
and theire defaults for none appearance were also m'ked, and
after that dyvers Acts and Ordinances made for the goode
regiment and governance of this house was also openly redde
by the Clerke of this Mystery."
The following is the Form of Prayer then used upon every
Quarter Day, upon the calling of the Livery and also of the
Bachelor's Company, prefaced with a short address to those
present.
Preface.
"Righte Worshipfull and Derely Beloved, forasmuche as
Prayer is not only a speache but also a p'cell of due service
unto God who is of all mighte and majestie, wee wch are but
duste and ashes oughte reverently to regard that our harts wch
he seeth and our words wch he heereth may be acceptable to
him. The wch sithe wee of ourselves beinge utterly unable to
doe well, saye well, or verely to thinke well cannot p'forme, I
beseeche you lett us crave the assistance of God's holy spirit so
to directe us that our p'sente Prayers maye be acceptable to him
and effectually p[ro]ffitable for us through Jesus Christe our Lorde
and only Saviour. So be it.
Prayer.
Almightie and most mercifull Father wee humbly beseeche
thy devyne Majestie mercifully to p'serve thy Holy Churche
universally, And therein we specially co[m]mend unto thy safe
protection and direction o'u sov'raigne Ladye Elizabeth, by
the grace of God Queene of Englande, France and Ireland,
Defender of the ffaith, &c., wth all her Majties moste honorable Counsell, most humbly beseechinge thee by thy holy
spirite so to illumynate theire myndes and to work in theire
harts that all theire counsells maye t'nde and all theire powers
maye be employed to advance thy glory and to continewe
Godly quietness wth th'encrease of com[m]on weale in theise
her Majties Dominions. Wee also beseche thee to geve grace
to all the ministers of thy holy worde and sacraments, by
what tytle or name soev' they be called, that by erneste and
syncere p'eachinge of thy worde and example of theire goode
livynge they may seek thy glorye and to edefie thy churche.
Likewise wee beseeche thee O heavenly Father to extend thy
grace to all the Nobilitie of this Realme, and gen'ally to all
Majestrates, Officers and Com[m]ons, in the same, That every one
of us maye learne diligently by the rule of thy holie worde to
knowe our duties in our sev'all vocations, and to endeavo'
dutifully and faithfully to execute and accomplishe the same, in
such sorte as maye be moste to thy glory and the due discharge
of our consciences. Wee also beseeche thee to make us thankfull for our p'sente pease and quietnes, and all other thy
benefitts wch wee enjoye, especially for the good Governors and
all other Benefactors of this Righte Worshipfull Companie.
And forasmuche as wee feile and pittie the miseries of our
ffellow members in Christe whome thou haste not blessed wth
the like com[m]odities as wee enjoye as namely wth the true and
publick p'eachinge of thy holy worde, and the p'tection of
Godly Majestrates, wee beseeche thee m'cifully to beholde the
manifolde miseries of suche of our Brethrene in Ffrance,
Fflanders, or elsewhere, as suffer p'secution for thy love and
testymony of thy truthe and the libertie of a good conscience,
and nev' suffer the enemies of thy Gospell, the Pope, the Turke
or theire adherents to p'vaile in theire practizes agaynste thy
truthe and the p'ffessors thereof. But graunt, wee beseeche
thee that in all p[ar]ts of the worlde thy glorious Gospell maye be
freely p'ffessed, plentifully p'eached and so obediently followed,
that love wch is the cognizance of thy true Disciples, maye
gen'ally abounde to the glory of thy holy name. Fynally wee
humbly beseeche thee, soe to direct us in all th' actions of this
transitory life after the example of them wch have beleved well
and lyved well before us, that after this life wee wth them maye
be partakers in thy heavenly kingdome of lyfe and joyes everlastinge. For theise and all other thinges neadfull for us and
thy holy church univ'sally I beseeche you generally to saye with
me that Prayer wche oure Lorde and Saviour Jesus Christe hathe
taughte us in his holy Gospell. Our Father, &c."
Minutes of a like court in 1607.
"This was the first quarter-day that this m'r kept, in regard
Mich's quarter-day was put of by reason of the visitation of
sicknes within the citty at that tyme.
"This day before dynner (according to auncient custome)
the names of the lyvery were called, and notice taken of such
as were absent. (fn. 2) Then in reverent manner prayer was made,
every man kneeling. After which the names of the benefactors
and their charitable and godly devises were openly read and
remembred. And also the materiall ordynaunces for the
government of the company, and the orders for the companies
grammer schoole at St. Lawrence Pountneys were openly redd,
and then preparation was made for dynner, whereunto were
invited the whole assistaunts, and the ladies, and ould maisters
wiefs, and the wardens wyefs of the present yere, and the
preacher, the schoolemaister, (fn. 3) warden substituts and almesmen
of the lyvery, as in auncient tyme hath been accustomed."
The form of prayer used was in these words:—
"Most mighty and most glorious God, which art great and
fearfull, yet loving and mercifull to all such as call upon thee in
syncerity and truth, and our most gratious mercifull and loving
father in Christ Jhesus, wee most wretched and sinfull creatures
here prostrate our selves before thy throne of mercy, in the name
and mediation of thy beloved Sonne, our most gratious Saviour
and Redeemer. Humbly beseeching thee (for his sake) to cast
all our offences behynd thee, and to bury them in his grave
who died for our synnes, and rose agayne to bring us both in
body and soule unto thee. And wee beseech thee (good Lord)
to preserve our King's most excellent majesty, our gratious
Queene, the noble prynce, and all the rest of the King's royall
ofspring and progeny. Good Lord, keepe this noble citty of
London, and defend it from grievous plauges, (fn. 4) and contagious
sickines that wee may often in brotherly and trewe love assemble
and meete together, to thy glory, and our mutuall comforte in
Christ Jesus. And mercifull Father, blesse this society and
brotherhoode, and be present with us in all our assemblies and
councells, that wee may use them to thy glory, and discharge
of our duties, make us thanckfull for all the benefits which wee
have receaved, and daily in thy mercy are contynued towards
us, through our Lord and Saviour, Christ Jhesus. Blesse thy
good governement amongst us (O Lord), and multiply thy
mercyes towards us, with increase of welwishers, benefactors,
and sound members of the same, setle and confirme faithfull and
harty love among us all. Blesse and direct (by thy holy
spirit) all our actions and endeavours, and give us grace faithfully and honestly to discharge ye trust reposed in us, as well
by our good friends and brethren deceased, as any other way
belonging to us, to the glory of thy holy name, and peaceable
comfort of our owne soules, and good example and intisement
of others. Ffor these thy mercies, and whatsoever else, thou in
thy best wisdome knowest most needefull for us, and for thy
whole church, wee shutt up these our prayers, in ye most
effectuall prayer, which Christ himself hath taught us, saying."